Fox CANCELS 'MadTV'

As the show continues its 14th season, Fox has cancelled Saturday night mainstay, MadTV. Fox cites that the expenses to produce the show have now exceeded its worth given the time period and ratings.

However, don't fret MadTV fans (none of whom I'm sure reads G4 blogs), the show's co-creator David Salzman is already shopping it around to other networks as we speak. Additionally, with its deal with Comedy Central, who airs the first 11 season re-runs, coming to an end soon, the cancellation coming at this very moment could be considered a blessing in disguise. Now Salzman can shop the show around with "guaranteed rights" dangling as an incentive.

It's difficult to see exactly how Fox plans to replace the show, and in a way, this could be viewed as a final concession that they could not compete with Saturday Night Live in the "timely/satirical" sketch comedy department. However, MadTV always came across to me as an extreme, over-the-top parody of SNL's proclivity towards catchphrase-spawning reoccurring characters, pummelling you with one joke over and over again into submission. It will be interesting to see where (if anywhere) it will end up.